Phil Vickery: "For me grassroots rugby is the foundation of our sport, and inspiring people to take up the game starts at the bottom." Photograph: Greg Funnell

P hil Vickery, aptly nicknamed "Raging Bull" during his playing career, retired in 2010 after 15 years at the top. The tight-head prop earned 73 England caps – and five for the British and Irish Lions.

But his career began in rather more humble surroundings with Bude RFC, his local side in Cornwall. From there he switched to nearby Redruth before being spotted, aged 19, by professional club Gloucester, and three years after his move to Kingsholm in 1995 he made his international bow. Some of his firmest friendships were established in those earlier years, though, and it was at his rugby club that he learned many important life lessons.

Vickery is now a proud ambassador for RBS's RugbyForce initiative that supports community rugby clubs: "I come from grassroots rugby – it is something I am very passionate about as it's the very lifeblood of our sport. At the age of 12, I started my rugby journey from Bude – I made some of my best friends and contacts – and moved up through Redruth to Gloucester, Wasps, England and the British and Irish Lions.

"For me grassroots rugby is the foundation of our sport, and inspiring people to take up the game starts at the bottom. Whatever level a player reaches in his career, the fundamental basics are learned at their first club."

Phil Vickery in action for England during a 2008 game against Wales. Photograph: Ady Kerry/Corbis

"What sustained my interest in the sport as a youngster was that I was with friends. The rugby club is such a great focal point for the community and for me Bude provided a great sense of belonging. And I was so proud of my rugby club, and still am. I learnt so much there, and it was fantastic for networking – whether you need a plumber, or a business contact, or someone who can sell your house.

"Rugby clubs at that level are not just about playing the sport, and that is something that is not really talked about. It's about making friends and contacts, and rugby teammates can become like family, and people look out for each other.

"Even if players don't manage to reach the upper echelons of the game, then they have a fantastic rugby club that they have been part of for a lot of their lives, and they can keep those friends forever."

Vickery is delighted to be working with RugbyForce. The initiative helps clubs by supporting them to improve facilities and offering business advice in order to make them more financially viable small businesses.

"The great thing about RBS's RugbyForce," he continues, "is that they are showing that they care, and it's not just about the top end. They are looking after the whole game, as it's an area of concern – there are a lot of rugby clubs out there who are struggling at the moment."

The role of the rugby club has shifted in the past decade, especially in the current financial climate, and RugbyForce aims to reward innovation which will benefit both the sport and the local area as a whole. Vickery, who turned 37 three days ago, continues: "One aspect which really appeals to me is that RugbyForce is not just about writing out cheques – all that would do is temporarily shut the door on the problem, before its ugly, old head sticks out again. It is about giving sound business advice, skills and helping the club flourish in their community, and making sure that systems and structures are in place."

He hopes that RugbyForce – which was started by RBS in 2009 – helps to encourage more players to take up the sport, and that communities around Britain and Ireland can benefit.

"As with the Olympic Games last summer, the success of grassroots rugby is mostly down to volunteers every weekend," Vickery adds. "They are the ones making frantic phone calls, picking kids up, mowing the pitches and making pasties. That is our game."

"The top tier of rugby is in really good health at the moment, and the World Cup is just two years away, but we need to make sure that the money, people power and help is there down to the very roots of our game. RugbyForce is there to do that, and every club should get involved."

Phil Vickery key facts

• Born in Devon to Cornish parents, Phil Vickery is the son of a farmer and at 16 left Budehaven school to work as a herdsman on the farm – he remains a qualified cattle inseminator.

• The tight-head prop, who has an Oriental tattoo on his left shoulder which translates to "I'll fight you to the finish", started playing rugby at 12 and played England schoolboys rugby at under-16 level.

• His pro career spanned 15 years from 1995, and included three World Cups and two Lions tours.

• He played in all seven of England's games on the road to lifting the World Cup in Australia in 2003, and four years later he led his country to the final, where his team lost 15-6 to South Africa.

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RBS RugbyForce – A force for good

RBS launched the RugbyForce initiative in 2009 and, in the four years since, has helped over 1,000 clubs at the grassroots level of rugby, which is the lifeblood of the sport. It has achieved this by providing financial support, online guidance and the tools to help co-ordinate
a community-wide effort to improve
clubs' facilities.

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